What does a Peer Support Link Worker do?
Link Workers assist parents to access peer support during pregnancy, birth and the first year after the birth of a baby. An expectant or post birth parent can request a Link Worker to make contact with them anytime during this period.
Our friendly, well-trained, and supervised Link Workers are local parents who work alongside local maternity units. They offer personalised support during pregnancy or anytime during the first year after birth. A Link Worker can connect parents with local peer support initiatives and services operating in their area. They may also offer some peer support themselves.
How does peer support help?
Peer support can be very beneficial to parents by helping them to feel listened to and supported during this life-changing time. Parents often describe their peer supporter as “someone in my corner” who has lived experience and doesn’t judge. Peer support is informal but different to support from friends or family.
Peer support is not a replacement for support provided by professionals. However, Link Workers can explain how different services can help and how to access them.
Every parent is unique, so link workers work flexibly to suit individual circumstances.
They do not give advice but help parents to:
- Explore what type of parent-to-parent support might be useful to them and link them in with what’s available in their local area
- Take steps to keep well, feel confident, listened to, and supported
- Access and benefit from information and services available
Who might particularly benefit from contact with a Link Worker?
Link Workers want to particularly reach out to expectant and post birth parents who:
- Feel socially isolated
- Feel anxious or depressed
- Have suffered a trauma or loss
How will the Link Worker make contact?
Initial contact is usually made by phone within a week of receiving a request. The Parent and the Link Worker will then decide next steps together. They may continue to communicate by phone, email, Zoom, text, or WhatsApp, or when possible, by arranging to meet each other face-to-face in a public place or in the parent’s home.
How does a practitioner make a request for a Link Worker to contact a parent?
Simply complete the online request form or phone 01268 525758.
N.B. the parent must give informed consent before a practitioner requests a Link Worker to make contact. We will let you know if the Link Worker has been able to make contact.